Display-rack



(Modem J. L. KNIGHT 8; H. K. ROWLEY.

DISPLAY RACK. v No.'266,843. Patented Oct. 31, 1882.

J. LEE KNIGHT AND HENRY K.

Farce.

ROWLEY, or TOPEKA, KANSAS.

DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,843, dated October 31, 1882.

Application filed July 10, 1882.

To all whom at may concern:

Be it known that we, J'. LEE KNIGHT and HENRY K. RowLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters'and tigures of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

Our invention has relation to improvements in devices for displaying articles while held for sale, and is adapted for use in show-cases, show-windows, counters, &c.

It has for its object to provide a display rack the different parts of which are so constructed that they may be placed in a great variety of positions, and provided with openbottomed pockets having solid backs and sides and elastic fronts, constructed to adjust themselves to the articles placed therein, and by their tension secure such articles in the positions in which they are placed, and thus provide to dealers in brushes, combs, knives, and other small articles usually kept in show-cases an improved means for displaying such articles which shall economize space, preventshelfwear, and at the same time furnish the dealer with a mechanical inventory of the samples exhibited, whereby without counting or efi ort of the memory he can at a glance ascertain with certainty whether his customer has taken more than he bought, the empty spaces in the display rack, if more than the number of sales, proclaiming the shoplifter.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view; Fig. 2, a side view. Fig. 3 shows one of the tri angular adjustable web-supporting blocks and one of the clasps for holding the elastic webbing. Fig. 4 is across-section on line mm, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line g 3 Fig. 1, showing the form of box-clamps for holding the ends of the slats over which the elastic webbing is stretched.

The supporting-base A is composed of the side bars, A, and the cross-bars A The side bars, A, are provided on their outer edges with pin-holes a, into which the hook ends of (Model) the wire braces, hereinafter described, are inserted.

B B represent the adjustable cases. They are composed of one or more slats, (preferably two,) I) I), arranged in the same plane, with a space between them, as shown in Fig. l, the. box-clamps 0, triangular partitions (1, wire clamp c, and elastic webbing f. The. boxclamps c are made preferably ofsome thin sheet metal. The main portion of the clamp is Ll shaped in cross-section,and it is provided with holes 0 midway the points where the slats are secured, as will be described. The ends ofthe boX-clamps are cut away, leaving the boxclamps c as shown in Fig. 1. Through this clamp we cut holes 0 as shown. Theends of slats I) are placed in these box clamps a suitable distance from their ends, and secured by tacks or screws h, driven through the back plate of the box-clamps and into the ends of the slats, as shown.

The strips of elastic webbingfextend from end to end ofthe shit I), and are secured at each end of the slat by being passed over its end; and the clamp c, being pressed over it and the slat and tacked fast, secures the webbing firmly in position. \Ve do not confine ourselves. however, to this mode of fastening, as it will be understood they could be secured in other ways. For instance, one of the triangular partitions (I might be secured firmly to the slats at or near each end thereof, and then by tacks or otherwise the ends of the elastic webbing might be secured on these pieces (1. These pieces ofelastic webbingf, it will be seen, are held longitudinally parallel to the slats l), as shown in Fig. 1.

The triangular or wedge shaped blocks dare provided with a groove, (1, on what, forconvenience of reference, we call their outer faces. They are placed between the elastic webbingf and the stat b at suitable distances apart to accommodate the articles to be exhibited, with their point or narrowest end 01 downward, as shown in Fig. 2, and the wire clamps e are passed around the blocks (1, with the ends extended and hooked over the sides or edges of the slats b, securing the webbing and blocks or partitions firmly to the slats; and the wire clamp e, pressing into the groove d, clamps the webbing to the blocks, so that it cannot slip be tween the block and clamp, thus dividing the webbing into sections between the several partition-blocks d, whereby each article displayed in its proper pocket is held there by the elastic tension of only so much of the webbing as properly forms the front of its own pocket. Thus we provide, with the face of the slat b for the back, the movable blocks d forsides, and the elastic webbing f for the front, an open-bottomed pocket with its lower side narrower than its upper side, as shown. Into this pocket, or through this vertically-sloping opening between the webbing f and the slats b, the articles to be exhibited are inserted from the top, and the reflex tension of the elastic webbing secures them in place.

It will be seen that the blocks d are readily adjusted to form the pockets wide or narrow, as may be desired.

It will be understood that where so desired the blocks 61 may he inverted, so as to bring the narrower poition of pocket at the top. In such cases the articles to be exhibited would be inserted from the bottom. We prefer, however, the arrangement shown and hereinbefore described, the object desired and attained being to provide the elastic webbing properly divided into pockets and secured longitudi- -nally parallel to and laterally at an angle to the slats b. I

g represents the wire braces, having their ends turned to enter the openings a in the bars A and the openings 0 c in the box-clamps c, as shown.

g represents clips or brace bars, having their ends turned to enter the holes in'the bars A and secure the box-clamps to the baseboards, as shown. It will be understood that where so desired screws may be employed instead ofthe barsg. By the use ofthese clamps, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the leaves or cases B may be set at any suitable angle and firmly secured. The various positions in which they could be placed are too obvious from the drawin gs to require a specific description.

The leaves may be held with the pockets all projecting in one direction, or they may be turned to bring the pockets in alternately-opposite directions, as shown. We do not desire to confine ourselves to any particular number of cases or leaves B, or to any particular relative arrangement thereof, as they might readily be arranged so as to form a triangle, square, or other figure, with the pockets projected either out or in, as desired. The use of mirrors placed face up or outward between the leaves would add very much to the effect of the display, and these might be made of same size as the said leaves for convenience.

' Good results are accomplished where the elastic webbing is held laterally parallel with the slats; but we prefer to hold it at an angle as shown and hereinbefore described, as by such arrangement better results are accomplished.

In operation the goods to be exhibited are passed down through the pocket and firmly held by the reflex tension of the elastic webbing.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, an adjustable display-rack for use in show-cases, show-windows, and similar p aces, composed of the base A, leaves or cases B, end boxclamps, 0, elastic webbingf, blocks d, and bracerods g, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an adjustable display-rack, the combination of the slats b, elastic webbing f, and means for holding the elastic wcbbingf longitudinally parallel and laterally at an angle to the said slats, and the necessary supporting mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the slats 1), adjustable triangular blocks d, elastic webbing f, and wire clamp c, all constructed and arranged substantially' as set forth. l

4. The combination, substantially as setforth, of the base A, provided with holes a, end boxclamps, a, holding the slats b and elastic webbing f, and provided with holes 0 c and the brace-rods g, having their ends turned to enter holes a c 0 as and for the purposes described.

5. In a display-rack, the combination, with the slats b, of the elastic webbing f, secured to the sides of the slats, and adjustable distending-blocks placed between the elastic webhing and the slats, and means for holding the slats, elastic webbing, and blocks firmly together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

J. LEE KNIGHT. HENRY K. ROWLEY.

Witnesses:

W. B. GIBsoN, M. H. CASE. 

